'Touch-thin' iPad Mini to be made in Brazil

Will the upcoming smaller, low-priced version of Apple's iPad tablet be made in Brazil and be as thin as the iPod Touch music player?

Japanese blog Macotakara cited a reliable Chinese source who said the smaller iPad, to be called iPad Mini, will be produced in Brazil.

Citing its source who claimed to have seen a prototype, Macotakara said the iPad Mini may be as tall as Google's Nexus 7 although it may be slightly wider.

It will also be thinner than the presently thinnest tablet - the Kindle Fire - and may be as thin as the fourth-generation iPod Touch.

On the other hand, it said its sources claimed the production phase of this tablet will be started in September, and the new tablet should be shipped during the holiday season.

A separate report on enthusiast site CultofMac said the iPad Mini, if it gets as thin as the iPod touch 4G, will be 7.2 mm thick.

It also cited previous rumors that the iPad Mini will feature a non-Retina 1024×768 display, like the original and second-generation iPads.

"The omission of the Retina display will assumedly help Apple cut costs and offer the device at its rumored $250-$350 price point. Macotakara notes that the iPad Mini is unsurprisingly equipped with 3G technology," it added. -GMA News